- Let’s Get Personal
“The Least likely to succeed.”
NOT!
Once upon a time,
was told by a guidance counselor that he didn’t have the
intelligence for college. And having been saddled with the dubious high school honer of being
voted “Least Likely to Succeed,” Steve didn’t give himself much of a chance to emerge as
anything special, much less a world-class comedian or a hall of fame speaker and trainer.
Years of negativity had led him to believe that dreams were the luxury of only a fortunate few.
“Looking back,” says Steve, “I can see how and why I sabotaged so many opportunities. My
perceived limitations had me very confused. I had a fear of failure and a fear of success. I knew
I had talent, but I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t being given a chance. I finally realized that
opportunity had been knocking all along…I was just afraid to open the door.”
Steve went on to surprise everyone, including himself, by excelling with honors at the university
and post-graduate levels. Eventually Steve even taught at his old high school, proving once and
for all that guidance counselors are not fortune-tellers.
Perhaps the most unexpected aspect of Steve’s career was the stellar degree of success he
achieved as a comedian, sharing the stage withJerry Seinfeld,Rodney Dangerfield,Eddie
Murphy, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Of course the surprises don’t stop there. What was next for this funny guy in the prime of his
career? For Steve, it was to trade the standing ovations as a stand-up comedian for maximum
fulfillment, and well more standing ovations as a hall of fame speaker, teacher and author.
Steve has spent much of his own life learning how to pursue and achieve is own definition of
success. Luckily for audiences across the country and around the world that definition has
evolved to include showing others his blueprint for realizing their dreams and achieving personal
excellence and professional satisfaction.
As Steve’s friend and fellow comic Drew Carey says, “He used to be a stand-up comic, but now
he’s a speaker who is inspiring people all over the world.”
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Author of AMAZON’s Best Selling Book “Get Your Shift Together“
Special appearances include: Showtime Special, Evening at the Improv, The Comedy
Channel, andFox TV- Comic Strip Live
A consultant on MSNBC and Oprah and Friends Radio network
Check Steve Rizzo out on YouTube
Creator and Executive Producer of his own PBS Special
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Speakers Hall of Fame Inductee
Educational background: B.A. in English and Education, with Honors
M.A. in Theater Arts